1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to material-rack safety systems, and more particularly to easy-to-disconnect restraining cables that restrain vertical stands of board and stick materials in divided display racks.
2. Description of Related Art
A typical warehouse retail store, e.g., The Home Depot, has divided racks for displaying wood moldings, corrugated roofing, and dimensional lumber. The material is stood on-end, and tilted-in to stay put. But very little keeps the long pieces in place in their divided racks. Not stacking the material right, bumping it, or an earthquake could result in a lot of heavy, dangerous material raining down on customers and workers.
So a number of devices have been developed in the prior art to keep such material in their divided racks. Those devices that are too difficult to be installed, don't get installed. Those that are too difficult to secure, don't get secured. And those mechanisms that are too difficult to disconnect or open can impede sales, or make the customer seek store-employee help. All of these things can work against the retail sales concept of self-help customers in warehouse stores.
A latched beam-to-column storage rack connector is described by Charles Highsmith, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,045, issued Apr. 29, 1997. Here an improved hook-and-peg arrangement is disclosed. The problem of bumping the retaining bar up and unlatching it inadvertently was recognized. The configuration described supposedly overcomes such troubles.
A warehouse material-bay restraining cable system is described by the present inventor, Michael J. Calleja, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,546, issued Jan. 6, 2004. Such describes restraining cables that are attached at fixed points to bay dividers. It would be advantageous for the users to be able to freely and easily adjust the height of the restraining cables.